What is CBD and what are its benefits and properties?

CBD is the abbreviation of cannabidiol and, like THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), is an extremely important component found in cannabis (in both hemp and cannabis plants).

This component, which belongs to the so-called cannabinoids, has an extensive range of useful and very effective properties and has a beneficial effect on the health of both humans and animals.

However, CBD does not allow the user to experience any stoned or high feelings.

The cannabinoid THC is fully responsible for this.

The fact that cannabidiol can not cause a psychoactive effect is a very big advantage for many people.

All daily activities can be continued without problems.

CBD is even able to reduce the psychoactive effects of THC.

You will therefore become less high of a THC-rich product if a CBD-containing product is also taken.

Although cannabidiol is completely unknown to many, it is not a recently discovered substance.

CBD was already isolated from cannabis in the year 1940.

More than 20 years later, in 1963, the Israeli chemist and professor Raphael Mechoulam, together with his colleague Yuval Shvo, was able to map out the correct structural formula of cannabidiol.

In recent years, however, it has only become clear that CBD has many positive influences on our body, so that CBD products have risen to unprecedented popularity in a short time.

CBD is an active cannabinoid in cannabis

In addition to CBD and THC, there are at least 100 other active cannabinoids that are present in cannabis plants. All these plant cannabinoids are called phytocannabinoids, derived from the Greek phyton , which means plant.

The unique thing about phytocannabinoids is that they have the same properties as certain substances that are naturally present in our body, the so-called endocannabinoids.

Substances such as the well-known THC and the increasingly popular CBD mimic these body’s own substances.

Because these vegetable (phytogenic) cannabinoids are, as it were, copies of our body’s own (endogenous) cannabinoids, they fit as keys to specific receptors (recipients on cells) in our bodies, which normally only bind to the body’s own substances.

Thus, like endocannabinoids, they can influence certain biological processes or functions in our body in an extremely targeted way.

Cannabidiol is a phytocannabinoid that helps quickly

Our body therefore does not see these phytocannabinoids as unknown invaders and makes no attempt to use a defense mechanism.

This has the advantage that the body can absorb CBD quickly and correctly and that internal processes can be influenced or controlled quickly.

Negative consequences of physical defenses and the production of antibodies remain unaffected.

This internal system of cannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors is called the endocannabinoid system.

Since the discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), scientists have also increasingly focused on the properties of cannabidiol and other lesser-known cannabinoids, instead of only doing extensive research on the properties of THC, as was previously the case.

How does cannabidiol function in our body?

Our body is a complex biological machine in which all kinds of chemical processes take place continuously.

How is CBD formed?

CBD, like the other phytocannabinoids, is produced in the trichomes (resin glands) of the cannabis plant.

This is done by means of biosynthesis via two different routes in the plant.

Enzymes catalyze a series of chemical reactions in which complex molecules are formed from simple, smaller molecules.

The precursors of all natural cannabinoids are geranylpyrophosphate and olivetolic acid.

These two precursors are produced by a complex series of biosynthetic reactions.

Using an enzyme called GOT (geranyl pyrophosphate: olivatolate geranyltransferase), they are linked together to form the first cannabinoid known as cannabigerolic acid ( CBGA ).

CBDA synthesis

Subsequently CBGA is converted into cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) by the enzyme CBDA synthase.

This cannabinoid, like CBGA, has a carboxylic acid group with the molecular formula COOH.

Due to the presence of this acid group, the word acid or the letter A is added at the end of the name or the abbreviation.

The presence and relative amounts of the specific enzymes determine which cannabinoid will become the main ingredient of each cannabis strain.

When more THCA synthase enzymes are present, the plant will eventually contain more THC.

This is done in the form of CO2 gas. CBD is formed by breaking the A-group.

What is CBDA?

Cannabidiolic acid, abbreviated CBDA, is described as the acid form of cannabidiol and is converted into the neutral CBD after drying or heating of the plant material.

Fresh cannabis plants therefore contain no to minimal concentrations of CBD, as a result of which many extracts are heated during the preparation process.

As more and more useful properties of CBDA are discovered, the fresh plant material is processed as quickly as possible and heating is now omitted for many products to keep the extracted extract as pure as possible.

CBDA was the first ever cannabinoid acid in the year 1955 isolated from cannabis. Detailed explanation about the acid form cannabidiolic acid can be found on the info page: ( CBDA )

Cannabinoids of the CBD type

In addition to CBDA, there are more cannabinoids that are part of the CBD type. The so far discovered phytocannabinoids belonging to the CBD type are:

Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA)

Cannabidiol (CBD)

Cannabidiol monomethyl ether (CBDM)

Cannabidiol-C4 (CBD-C4)

Cannabidivarinic acid (CBDVA)

Cannabidivarin (CBDV)

Cannabidiorcol (CBD-C1)

Cannabimovone

Cannabidiol from hemp or weed?

Although hemp and weed both belong to the same cannabis family, a distinction is made between the two plants.

Despite the differences, the cannabidiol component can be obtained both from hemp plants and from cannabis plants, since the molecule is identical in both cannabis strains.

The presence of different terpene profiles, however, can provide other effects.

This terpene profile differs not only in hemp and weed plants, but also in every single hemp or weed variety. Nevertheless, CBD is mainly obtained from hemp.

This has two reasons: the CBD content and legality.

Because cannabis plants in the past were mainly cultivated for recreational purposes, more and more species with high THC levels arose, making the CBD content ever lower to almost nil.

In contrast, hemp plants have been legally cultivated for industrial purposes for years, making THC content never important.

It was even undesirable, because plants with a content of more than 0.2% THC are not permitted by the European Commission and therefore can not be legally cultivated.

As a result, most hemp species are rich in cannabidiol.

Because growers now recognize the importance of cannabidiol, there are now more and more new types of weed with both high THC and CBD percentages.

Positive characteristics of CBD

Cannabidiol has a large number of positive characteristics.

The lack of psychoactivity (in the sense that there is no euphoric or consciousness-altering effect) makes it suitable for use in animals, children or the elderly and those who prefer to remain well focused.

Below are some favorable features:

Natural product from beneficial hemp plants

Fully legal and freely available

Helps quickly

Can be used for a long time

Does not give habituation

Has no addictive effect

No withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing intake

Does not cause a dull feeling

Has no psychoactive effect

Can reduce the psychoactive effect of THC

Is experienced by the body as a substance in the body

Also very suitable for children and animals

Wide choice of CBD products

Wide choice of strengths (various percentages)

Healthy properties and useful applications

CBD contains many healthy characteristics that can mean a benefit for body and soul.

Many research and user experiences have shown that CBD can have a beneficial effect on health.

It can be applied for the entire body, such as the head, heart, skin, muscles or joints and increases the resistance of humans and animals.

A number of examples of health-promoting properties and useful applications of cannabidiol follow below:

Stimulates and activates the immune system

Promotes the natural immune system of body cells

Accelerates the recovery after illness or discomfort, making your body fit and vital again

Ensures balance in stress situations

Relaxing

Beneficial for the nervous system

For the maintenance of strong bones and good bone growth

For the maintenance of healthy cells and tissues

Can be used with stiff and stuck muscles or with morning stiffness

Stimulates bowel function and is beneficial for a balanced intestinal flora

Can be used in case of discomfort before, during or after menstruation

Externally it protects the skin from aging

What does CBD consist of?

The cannabidiol molecule is composed of 53 atoms (21 carbon atoms, 30 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms), which are linked together by 54 atomic bonds.

The systematic name is 2 – [(1R, 6R) -6-isopropenyl-3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl] -5-pentylbenzene-1,3-diol

Physical values

Melting Point: 66°C / 151°F

Boiling point 180 ° C / 356 ° F (range: 160-180 ° C)

Hardly soluble in water (polar)

Easily soluble in butane, propane, CO2, olive oil (apolar)

Highly soluble in alcohol and isopropyl alcohol (limited polarity)

Explanation about the solubility of cannabidiol

Cannabidiol is just like the phytocannabinoid THC, hydrophobic (water-fearing) and lipophilic (fat-loving).

This means that this component of cannabis is apolar and not easily soluble in polar solvents such as water, but in non-polar solvents such as oils, fats, butane, propane, hexane and the like.

Polar substances are molecules that can easily form hydrogen bonds (hydrophilic) while apolar substances can not.

They lack an OH or NH group or do have a group, but are largely apolar (with very large molecules such as cannabidiol).

These non-polar substances are therefore hydrophobic.

Although cannabidiol is more soluble in apolar solvents, it can also be soluble in polar substances such as ethanol (alcohol) and isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol).

The reason that an apolar substance such as cannabidiol does not dissolve in a polar substance like water, but in a polar substance such as alcohol, has to do with various chemical factors.

From which atoms a molecule is built up, the size of the molecule, the HLB value, the dipole moment, the electric charge, Van der Waals forces and the relative permittivity (εr) can for example be factors that influence the polarity.

The permittivity indicates how easily a substance can polarize by the creation of an electric field.

As you can clearly see in the summary below, the non-polar solvents have a very low permittivity, while water has a very high level.

Both i sopropyl alcohol and ethanol are in between, but tend to go to a low εr such as apolar substances, then to a high εr such as water. Isopropylalcohol and ethanol are thus limited polar.